Frequently Asked Questions
These are some of the questions I am most often asked.
If your question hasn’t please answered here, please feel free to email me at hello(at)kirileonard(dot)com.
I will reply when my schedule permits. If you haven’t heard back within two weeks, please feel free to email me again.
Please know that I receive a large number of emails, and therefore, unfortunately, cannot always keep up with them all.
My early artistic influences were from children’s books my mother gave me as a child, unfortunately I do not know the names of those artists. The first book I remember the artist name of was John Bauer, soon after it became Brian Froud, and then Tony DiTerlizzi.
Later on, I fell in love with the art of Norman Rockwell, Jill Barklem, Fritz Baumgarten. My recent artistic heroes, from the realm of digital art, are Vance Kovacs, Craig Elliott, Justin Gerard, and Matt Rhodes.
I find inspiration everywhere around me, most often in nature, particularly in trees, in books, in philosophy, in art history, in childhood memories, in computer games, in fairy tales and folklore and in movies. I find that near anything can light that spark of inspiration, but I am susceptible to anything in the realm of fantasy and the whimsical.
No, I do not believe so. Art School isn’t a one size fits all, it’s not right for everyone. You will have to judge yourself if it’s the right thing for you and if it’s worth the often steep cost.
I think it’s worth remembering that the internet is ripe with so many wonderful resources for learning art and illustration now, that are far less costly than college is. First, website likes Gumroad and YouTube are packed with art tutorials, and if you’re looking for more structured education, here are some options to get you started:
- Watts Atelier
Price range: $99/mo – $699/mo - SmARTSchool
Price range: Est. $595 – $2500 - Art Mentors
Price range: Est. $595 – $2500 - New Master’s Academy
Price range: $35/mo - School of Visual Storytelling
Price range: $25/mo - Schoolism
Price range: $29.95/mo - CGMA CG Master Academy
Price range: Est. $699
I did, I first attended the School of Art & Design in Aarhus, Denmark for a year. This school is the equivalent of a pre-college/high school class. After that, I went on to study at the Fine Art Academy in Aarhus, Denmark, for a year. This year is the equivalent of the foundation year at college.
After that year, I applied to Pratt Institute in New York City, USA and was fortunate to be accepted. I attended Pratt Institute for the foundation year. Unfortunately, I couldn’t afford to continue, so I set out to work as a freelance artist and have been doing that ever since. I do not hold any degrees in art or otherwise.
It depends on the artwork. Portraits, for instance, take less time than a complex composition with a crowd of characters. Simpler pieces may take me around 4 hours, more complex illustrations can take up to 25 hours or more. You can find examples of my painting process on my YouTube channel.
Please email me at hello(at)kirileonard(dot)com with details about your project, budget and which illustration you are interested in licensing. Some of my artwork is available for license, whereas other pieces are part of already copyrighted projects and therefore cannot be licensed.
On occasion, I receive requests for free artwork because of budget restraints for projects such as picture books, book covers, games or kickstarters. At this point in my career, I do not to any artwork for free.
I work on a Wacom Cintiq 27 HD Touch in Adobe Photoshop CC. I have used to work on a Wacom Intous, which I loved until I had saved up enough to upgrade to a Cintiq. I have always been a Photoshop user though I also enjoy Corel Painter, I’m just not as practiced with the program.
I am a big fan of textured brushes, therefore I mainly use Greg Rutkowski’s Brushes which you can get here.
I love doing interviews! However, it is dependent on my schedule at the time of inquiry.
Please email me at hello(at)kirileonard(dot)com with information on what your interview is for, how long the interview will run, topic of conversation and any other pertinent information. Don’t forget to title your email Interview Inquiry, thank you!
Because of a full schedule it is not something I can offer to do, instead, I recommend reaching out to art directors on Social Media or at conventions for reviews.
I do not currently offer mentorships or teaching. I recommend looking into online schools such as Schoolism and New Master’s Academy.
As most children, I started drawing from a very young age but it wasn’t until I was in my mid-20s, that I realized I wanted to pursue illustration as a career. I made a video on YouTube about how I became an illustrator.
Yes! Please email me at hello(at)kirileonard(dot)com with details about your project, the more details you can offer the better. I need to know the number of illustrations, what they are for, the level of complexity, deadline, and which rights you need.
My schedule is currently booked three months in advance or more, so please take that into account when planning your project deadline.
If your question hasn’t please answered here, please feel free to email me at hello(at)kirileonard(dot)com, I will reply when my schedule permits, if you haven’t heard back within two weeks, please feel free to email me again. I receive a large number of emails, and sometimes I just cannot keep up with it all.
I do ask that you read the FAQ thoroughly before emailing, as I will not reply to questions already answered.
